[Dixielandjazz] stride vs. comp

[David W. Littlefield]

At 03:08 PM 1/23/2003 -0500, Brian Towers wrote:
>Responding to Rob's query:
>Some of us, myself included, do not like the monotony of a hi-hat being used
>to keep the beat, it always seems like a cop-out to me.   However I
>appreciate I am probably in the minority on this.
>Brian Towers,

Better the hi-hat than the @#$%& ride cymbal! 

The latter's the real copout, lazy drumming in my book, when used as the
main beater during most of the tune. I've never been able to get any kind
of answer from drummers, or for that matter anyone else, but what is that
freakin' ride cymbal *hiss* supposed supposed to accomplish?  It's fine as
additional noise in an out chorus to intensify the climax. I could see
using the rider if the sound died out quickly so the stroke was descrete
readily heard. Virtually all I hear across the bandstand is the hiss. 

Hi-hat has a variety of sounds: the typical swing pattern, stick on the
partly open cymbals, stick on closed cymbals, use in place of the 8" shsht
(splash?) cymbal, stick on top near the hole. And there's a variety of
licks--I can't remember which record, but one of my favorites is done by
Specs Powell playing with the Teddy Wilson All Stars. I've heard all sorts
of neato hi-hat technique on disco records that could be used in OKOM--when
I ask some professional drummers why they don't use that instead of the
rider for swing and dixieland, all I get is some equivalent of "duh".  

How about nice whacking percussive brushes a la the 1934-1935 Teddy Wilson
records eg "What a little moonlight can do." Seems to me that's a lot more
effective rhythmically than a ride cymbal, and on faster tunes, that sure
doesn't leave much room for variety. And when the rhythm section is playing
unified as it is on those records, it's kickin' lots of butt!

--Sheik